


Target

by WhatHaveWeDone



Category: Thunderbirds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 02:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14149590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatHaveWeDone/pseuds/WhatHaveWeDone
Summary: A slightly different scenario for part of Brains vs Brawn. Spoilers if you haven't seen the episode so go watch it before reading this!





	1. Chapter 1

The Mechanic wasn't loosing but he wasn't exactly winning either. His aim was to …... capture? ….. kill? …... the Hood, and International Rescue was trying to stop him. Not because they thought the Hood was worth saving, but because they could. That was just who they are. But who could blame them if they were having a little fun keeping the Hood out the way of Project Sentinel - making the falls of Thunderbird One's escape capsule a little bit longer than absolutely necessary, the turns a little tighter than they had to be.

John could feel the amusement from his family in their calls to each other, the way they gave a woop at each transfer. But he could also feel their conflict – the thought of having to put his family in danger in order to save that ….. man... it made him feel sick in a way that zero G never did. Which was why he was still here on Thunderbird 5 and Brains had gone to the giant satellite to shut it down. Sure John was closer and a hell of a lot more comfortable in space, but he was needed where he was. He kept a steady stream of data to the other craft, prioritising and reanalysing with each blast from the giant lazer. He had tasked EOS to produce predictive algorithms to better understand the capabilities of the weapon, but at the moment his data, and his concentration was essential. It needed a human touch. Not being in the thick of high speed, high altitude maneuvers meant John was the first to notice that the Sentinel had not stopped firing because the Mechanic was giving up, but because he was readying the machine for one massive blast. He was also the first to notice that it was moving, reaiming.

John pulled up a holographic representation of the machine, better to study it's movement.

"EOS, extrapolate the target please." What _is_ he doing? John thought to himself. It didn't take EOS long to review the data to create a new display. John watched as the satellite reorientated and the sickness in his stomach took on a new meaning. He opened a comm line to all.

"Guys, we have a new situation."

"We're a little busy, John" Came Scott's terse reply. "Can you tell them we'll call them back?"

John didn't have time to explain before the Mechanic stole the moment from him, hacking into their displays and projecting his image to them all.

"International Rescue, you will cease. You will leave the Hood for me and I will stand down. Continue this childish game and I will turn my Sentinel on one of your own. You have one minute."

The Mechanic's imaged changed to a number, the number 60. John gasped out the words as it flicked to 59 and he was filled with dread.

"The Sentinel is now pointing directly at Thunderbird 5."


	2. Chapter 2

58

No one spoke for a moment, shock stunning them all. Thunderbird 5 was meant to be the safe one, _John_ was meant to be the safe one, tucked away in space. He was away from all the landslides, the earthquakes, the forest fires that were a threat to the others. Now he was just a target and a bargaining chip for their enemy.

57

"Get out of there John!" Scott was... well scared was the only way to describe his voice, something that was heard so rarely that John gave a quick glance at his oldest brother's icon before turning back to the display that EOS was in command of. His first thought had of course been to evacuate, but instinct told him that would not work, and cold hard facts backed it up.

56

"Negative Thunderbird One. It takes me at least 30 seconds to get in the exosuit if I was standing right next to it, which I'm not..."

55

"….so add another 15 seconds to get to it, and EOS thinks it will take at least 30 seconds to clear the blast radius and be safe from debris."

John was grateful to have EOS by his side for this – they had worked together long enough now that she was beginning to anticipate his requests so he had all the information he needed at his fingertips. That gratitude was almost enough to distract him from what he just said. Almost, but not quite.

 _Blast radius. Debris._ Not debris, his Thunderbird damn it! His home away from home and a vital piece of International Rescue's operation. This was going bad and going bad quickly.

54

"There was never enough time for me to get clear." Trying to dismiss his fear, John bought up yet another screen and started scrolling, searching for one particular set of files.

53

"The space elevator, can't you...?" Alan's question trailed away and he sounded very young as he remembered that the capsule was no longer attached to the station, Brains having used it to sneak aboard the Sentinel. No space elevator, no time for the exosuit, no time for Thunderbird 3 or any other ship to get to him.

_I really am screwed this time._

52

"Can't you just move out the way? You have some sharp moves for a space station. You've done it before." Virgil suggested.

51

"Not sharp enough. I would gain a couple of seconds if that. I might be maneuverable for a _space station_ but that's not really saying much." It was a good idea, but it just wasn't going to work. He didn't stop his scrolling, if only he could remember where he'd saved the bloody things! He was surprising himself by staying focused. He hadn't had much practice at being threatened by an evil genius and he didn't like it so far. He felt a surge of adrenaline in response to the Mechanic's threat: his body was gearing up for flight or fight but right now neither of those were an option.

50

"So, what?" Gordon yelled, even though he didn't need to – his comm was coming through loud and clear. "You're just giving up? You're just going to sit there?" Gordon didn't take threats to his family easily.

49

"No, I'm not giving up Gordon!" John snapped back, not in the mood to deal with the volatile aquanaut. "Of course I'm not giving up, but options are severely limited. Brains?" John directed his attention to the engineer. "Can you hear me?"

48

"I can hear you John. I'm trying my best to break into the controls and take the laser off line but... I don't know... I just..." Brains was panicking, that was clear. He wouldn't be able to work without a clear head, so it was vital that John calmed him down.

"I have faith in you Brains. Just take a deep breath, think of something happy and work the problem. You can do this. You could do it before and you can it now. Shut it down." John reassured.

47

The sound of a deep breath came over the comm, and Brains, in a slightly steadier voice said "I'm working on it John."

46

John at last found the files he had been looking for. He had hidden them well to insure they wouldn't be found by anyone casually looking through his systems to save himself from some awkward questions. He just had to put them somewhere a bit more memorable next time. He hoped there was a next time. There were other things he needed to check on while Brains was working, but this was important. With a gesture in the holo-screen he threw the files at EOS – well at the camera that EOS was currently using.

45

"EOS, I need you to do something for me."


	3. Chapter 3

"Certainly John. Would you like me to prep the exosuit?"

44

"No, not that." Even though EOS was all around, embedded in his station, it always felt more natural to 'face' something when he talked to her, so John turned to the nearest camera.

"The others aren't going to give up the Hood...

43

"…... that's not just something we would do. So..."

EOS interrupted "Are you sure John? I have observed a very strong sense of protectiveness between you and your siblings. And you are certainly a more valuable human than that criminal."

"I'm sure. Right Scott?"

42

"John... I …... I can't just hand him over." The pain Scott was feeling was clear, his duty to protect clear, but it was not clear _who_ he was meant to protect. The Hood wasn't exactly an innocent party but knowing the Mechanic was planning on killing him changed the equation. They didn't judge the value of the people they saved, there was no scale to measure against to find out if someone was worthy of life. _All_ human life was important. And so they wouldn't trade the life of a criminal, the man who killed their father, not even for a brother.

41

"I know Scott, it's ok." John closed his eyes for a moment, trying to shake off the adrenaline that was roaring through his system. He had no use for it. If this was going to happen he wanted to be clear headed and calm.

40

"EOS, I want you to run programme 'backup'." He said, putting on his best 'emergency dispatcher who needed to be listened to' voice. It was used daily to cut through the panic of the people he spoke to before his brothers could arrive, and he thought it was important to project an air of professionalism right now, to keep them all on track.

EOS accessed the relevant file but paused, not executing it.

"John, I do not wish to run this programme." She was hesitant and unsure and it made her more human than she had ever been before.

39

"I know. But please do it." John urged.

"This programme will allow me access to Tracy Island and all it's systems. It will download my core code into the main servers instead of Thunderbird 5. To all intents and purposes I will no longer be here. I will be _running._ "

38

EOS had weighted her last word with such venom, such hate, that John briefly reconsidered. Who knew that EOS could be so stubborn? Well maybe he should have, considering that his brothers were her major influence.

"I know what it does. Please EOS, please. Run the programme." He would beg her if he had to, but he didn't really have time for this – he had more to do.

37

John could see that EOS had cut the comm to the others, and he was glad – he might have to say some things to get EOS to comply that he would rather the others not hear.

"Ten seconds ago you were confident in Brains' capabilities to shut down the weapon. Now you wish me to leave Thunderbird 5 when you don't have a viable escape route." She sounded like a grouchy child being told to go early to bed. Every nuance in her voice was calculated to manipulate him, but John fought down a wry smile. You couldn't stand your ground as part of a large family without learning to ignore the wheedling of younger brothers or the threats of older. That tone of voice hadn't worked on him for years.

36

"I am confident, Brains can do this. But it makes sense to take any precautions we can. If I had a way off here I would be taking it, believe me. But I don't." He ran through his options again _exosuit, elevator, rocket ship –_ none of them would work. Still. "You do. Please take it EOS. If Brains …... if …... if he isn't quick enough I need to know that you are safe..."

35

"….. I want you live EOS." That's what it came down to, in the end. That was always his aim. He was here to help others live.

"I want you to live too John."

John managed a smile at that. They had come a long way from their first meeting. She had tried to kill him. He had almost shut her down. Now they were family.

34

"That's good to hear. But it doesn't change the facts. If Thunderbird 5 goes up I want you on Tracy Island. The others are going to need you to be their eyes and ears." They had so much so much taken from them already, it was almost too much to think of his family trying to cope with another loss.

33

John worried about them all the time. When they were out on a rescue of course, that was obvious. He watched over them when they were running headfirst in to danger for the sake of another. He also worried when they went in heart first, opening up and risking hurt of a different source. They were a bunch of softies really, their compassion being as vital as their bravery. But it was also a weakness that the Mechanic was trying to use against them now.

32

"There's something else I need you to do EOS." He gestured again at the files he had searched for. "They won't understand, they will be hurting."

"Not just them."

"Which is why... if this goes wrong... I need you to give them these..."

31

'…...there's one for each of them. There's one for you too. Things I think they should hear if the worst should happen. I have contingencies in the event of something unexpected, but this way I can be sure they will get them. There's more than one way I need you to help them EOS."

With her processing power a second to EOS was like a lifetime to a human, so she must have run the numbers, assessed the situation and evaluated the options. And none of them must have been good for her to reply.

"I will do as you ask John. I will deliver your messages if they are ever needed. Preparing to leave Thunderbird Five."

30


	4. Chapter 4

The comms switched back on.

"John, what the hell? Don't just go silent on us like that." John could tell that Scott was angry – at John, at the Hood, at the Mechanic, at this whole sorry mess.

29

"Do you know how irresponsible that is?" The volume steadily rose as Scott gave vent to the emotion he was feeling "What it does to my blood pressure? How would you like it if one of us was in your situation and decided that now was the perfect time for a bit of privacy?"

Ok, maybe he was mostly angry at John, but he knew how to weather this particular storm. Nothing could be worse that when Scott caught a 12 year old John just about to dismantle Scott's car to find out why it's fuel efficiency was 6.2% less than spec.

"Cool it Scott" John admonished, "Brains is working, he doesn't need you yelling in his ear."

28

Scott was much quieter but not much calmer when he replied "Sorry Brains. But John, I want you moving and out of there now."

"I don't have enough time, I already told you this."

EOS was working on preparations to download herself to Tracy Island so the camera that she was using as an avatar was dark and still. He turned away from it and dismissed the holo displays he had been working on. There was no need for them now. He bought up a new one in his now cleared workspace.

27

"I don't care John, please, just try for me. I don't understand why you won't try." Scott's pleading almost broke him, it was almost too much for him. He hardened his heart.

"I'm not going to waste time on something that won't work." He made clear.

26

"Why, got something better to do?" Scott's anger was turning to snark.

Better than trying to solve a problem he didn't have the equipment to solve? Better than standing – or floating – around fretting about something he had no control over?

"Yep."

You bet he did. He always did.

25

John's fingers flew over a virtual keyboard as he typed out some instructions. There wasn't often down time on Thunderbird 5 but when there was John liked to keep busy. He was the type of person who was always into something, some sort of research or project, or planning his next upgrade. Then a call would come in and he wouldn't get to complete his work. By the next time he had a moment a new idea had come to him so at any point he had more than dozen items in his 'ongoing' list.

24

Some of them might come to nothing, but some of them might just pan out. All his files were triple backed up of course, so there was no need to send them to Tracy Island like he was doing with EOS, but Brains would need some pointers to find the most promising.

23

The message to Brains that John was typing would mean his half finished work was not lost and who knows – it might even save lives in the future. He had been meaning to do this for a while anyway.

"Of all the pig-headed, arrogant people... What the hell is more important than getting your sorry ass out of the way of a giant laser?" Scott was incredulous. The others remained silent, Scott probably saying everything they were thinking – he was often their spokesman.

22

"The same thing that is always more important than my sorry ass Scott, keeping you guys safe."

That made Scott pause, so while John had the advantage he continued.

21

"There isn't a plan B for me, but that doesn't mean that I am going to sit here and watch all I've built go down with me." John glided to Thunderbird 5's main control display.

20

"I'm ensuring emergency protocols are in place, transferring any data that isn't backed up elsewhere, checking the secondary satellites would come on line. You'd still be able to contact each other any where in the world on a secure channel but holograms would not be possible."

While John had a large emotional attachment to Thunderbird 5 he was acutely aware how critical it was to making International Rescue possible. Usually he was inordinately proud of that fact, but now he thought maybe that was another weakness.

19

"Extraction protocol has been completed" That was EOS, signifying that she had transferred herself successfully and was now imbedded into their core systems on Tracy Island. She at least would be safe.

"What was that?" Scott queried.

18

"Just backing up some data" John muttered, unsure how his family would take the news that he had given her full system access. Their trust had been slower for her to earn and he didn't want to risk it right now.

17

"You have one twisted set of priorities." As if Scott didn't understand the value of information – it was what kept their organisation running. That and a lot of money.

16

John's gut gave a twist as he eyed the countdown the Mechanic had forced into his Thunderbird. It was getting close to the end now and his usual tactics would no longer work. The gravity – _ha!_ \- of the situation hit him and the twist in his stomach became the familiar nausea of helplessness.

"You think I'm happy about this? There's just nothing more I can do."

15


	5. Chapter 5

"Stop being so damn pessimistic and DO something." Scott must be almost vibrating with all the emotion that was leaking though the comms. John knew that this was difficult for them: he went through similar all the time.

"It's not bloody pessimism." John fired back, surprised at himself. He couldn't believe he was having an _argument_ now of all times.

14

"You going to tell me it's realism?" Scott didn't understand, he really didn't. It was with some self-reproach that John realised that he had never actually explained this part of his life on Thunderbird 5. Now was a good as time as any.

13

"No, it's displacement activity." John burst, then hurried with an explanation before Scott could waste time asking pointless questions. He didn't have time.

12

"This is the way it always works Scott. You guys are out there without me, taking the risks." John almost gabbled he was speaking so quickly. "And I sit here helping from afar. But when you are right there in the most danger, when I can't help any more, I do ….. other stuff."

11

Silence from the others. His heart starting to pound, another wave of adrenaline hitting, he carried on desperate to make his family understand.

"I need the distraction so I don't distract you. Remember when you dealing with that solar collector in Taipei? Well, right about then I was finishing my Christmas shopping. Because after I do my part, and I can't do any more and it's out of my hands I have to do something other than just watching, else I'd loose it completely."

10

Did that make it clear? How sick he felt when he _couldn't help._ Why he had wrote code or did online shopping to take his mind off his own uselessness. Whatever Scott's response to that was he didn't get a chance to share it, for the Mechanic's voice one again cut into their systems and filled their ears.

9

"You really are going to choose the Hood? You are much stupider than I thought. So be it."

There was no time for anything else now. No time for explanations, no time for further preparations.

8

John wanted to look away from the numbers floating in his display but they were so intrusive... so important that he could barely even blink. His world shrunk to a single reducing number that was changing with infinite speed and glacial slowness at the same time.

7

His face was hot and sweat was gathering on his forehead, something almost unheard of in Thunderbird 5's precision maintained environment.

6

All of his muscles were tense: arms, legs, back, shoulders. It was doing weird things to his breathing: some short and shallow, some deep and long.

5

"Brains, I don't meant to rush you..." Scott's earlier anger was gone. In contrast his tone was soft and gentle, obviously intended not to startle the working man.

4

"Almost go it." Came the terse reply. It was good to hear, but how long to go from 'almost' to 'got it'? His heart was pounding, a thumping in the ear that was set to deafen him.

3

John felt his hands clench, eyes wide, his body beginning to brace for an expected impact. That wasn't going to be what happened, but knowing that didn't stop his bodies' automatic responses.

2

John noticed that he was holding his breath. He didn't mean to but couldn't do anything about it. His body and mind focused on the digit in front of him to the exclusion of everything else.

_Shit._

1

"There, I've shut down his controls." Brains call was triumphant and satisfied, clearly proud of his achievement. As he should be.

0

And nothing happened. No laser bursting through his space station, no explosion of ruptured fuel cells, no rush of precious atmosphere escaping into the uncaring vacuum of space. John didn't suffocate, or get crushed by a section of bulkhead or burn up, or any other the other multitude of ways he could have died in that second.

John at last took a breath his diaphragm releasing, and his body relaxed. If he had been standing he thought he would have fallen as a tremble of relief shook his entire body, simultaneous with a wave of dizzyness.

The sounds of enjoyment at their earlier game of pass-the-hood was nothing compared to the cheers that John now heard from his family, which were a vocal reflection of his own feelings.

Trying to dispel the sudden spinning of his head he managed to stutter out "Th... Thanks Brains."

EOS – still there, still anticipating – transformed the projection again into an image of the Sentinel.

"What would you like me to do with your messages?" She said quietly, for his ears only. Was that reproach he could hear from her? Or was it relief? Maybe it was both – she was increasing in complexity every day.

"Keep them please, for now." He asked, just as softly, grateful that he wouldn't have to have that conversation again.

John felt a deep rage beginning to simmer. He hated that he had been made a target and a tool and a part of someone else's plan…. But that was going to have to wait, for the readings he was receiving from the Sentinel were worrying.

John was safe, but this wasn't over yet. And now he wouldn't just be watching. Instinct kicked in and washed away his anger, the lingering nausea of nearly dying, the dizzyness of relief and guilt of uselessness. Now he was focused on his own target, the role that filled his soul with contentment: protecting life, not taking it like the Mechanic or the Hood.

"Brains, you've shut down the firing controls but the laser is still charging. The Sentinel is going critical you have to get out of there now!"


End file.
